Tavares, Mount Dora Boys Renew Rivalry Tonight

January 7, 1986|By Cheryl Gordon of The Sentinel Staff

TAVARES — It was the same rivalry, but under a different set of circumstances last season.

Tavares High School's boys basketball team was the Golden Triangle area's dream machine, ultimately proving its point in the district championships. Mount Dora's boys were the late bloomers, who got off to a slow start and fell in the first round of those championships at the hands of the Bulldogs.

The two boys teams, which only let a game with Eustis get them as excited about basketball, have their first confrontation of the season tonight at 8. Mount Dora, now the district favorite, travels to Tavares for a long-awaited District 10 showdown.

Both boys teams have been idle, except for practice now and then, since strutting their stuff in holiday tournaments. Mount Dora (8-1) finished second at the Leesburg Burger King Whopper Shootout. Tavares (7-2) placed third at the Dunnellon Rainbow Classic.

''There's not a lot of love lost between these two teams,'' Mount Dora Coach Eddie Barks said. ''Every time we play them it's for something. This time it's just for bragging rights. District still will be the big game.''

In the four years Barks has coached at Mount Dora his Hurricanes have compiled a 6-6 mark against the Bulldogs. Last year Tavares beat the Hurricanes twice in regular-season battles, in double overtime in the first meeting and by one point in the second. Then the Bulldogs beat the Hurricanes ''bad,'' according to Barks, in their district championship encounter.

''It three losses in one season was the worst showing against them in memory,'' Barks said. ''It was something I'm sure these kids remember.''

A more mature, well-seasoned Mount Dora team will seek retribution. Only two Tavares veterans return from the team that punished Mount Dora last season.

Belton caught a glimpse of Mount Dora in the Hurricanes' victorious season- opener with Father Lopez and their blowout against Mount Dora Bible.

''Those games were very early in the season to really get a good picture of what they can do,'' Belton said. ''Going into the season they were the favorites.''

Barks hasn't had the advantage of seeing Tavares play this season.

''They definitely know more about us than we know about them,'' Barks said. ''But I'm not so sure that's going to make a difference.''

The Hurricanes are averaging 62.7 points per game with senior center David McNealy and senior guard Karry Milsap sharing most of the scoring load. McNealy is averaging 20.1 ppg and pulling down an average of 10 rebounds per outing. Milsap is averaging 18.6 ppg. Mount Dora is permitting opponents to score an average of 53.0 ppg.

Tavares, fueled by senior forward Rod Deleveaux's 18.4 ppg, is averaging 55.6 ppg and is only giving up an average of 48.6 ppg.

''It's going to take a team effort on our part,'' Belton said. ''We can't depend on Deleveaux to carry us and that is probably what they'll think we'll have to do.''

Barks said Mount Dora will put into play its zone to combat the ''aggressive, hard man-to-man game'' Tavares will offer.

Both teams claim to be healthy, with only Tavares' Shawn Archie still fighting a bug.

GIRLS GAMES . . .

The Mount Dora and Tavares girls basketball teams also will meet in a district battle. The girls will precede the boys varsity game at 6:30 p.m.

''Our girls want to win this one awfully bad,'' Tavares Coach Barry Farley said. ''A lot of them have friends on Mount Dora and it would make the conversation so much easier if they were on the winning end of it.''

The Mount Dora girls (6-3) have as formidable a reputation as the school's boys team. Tavares, with only a 31-29 victory over Umatilla under its belt, is an unknown commodity.

''Our game experience is way short of everyone elses,'' Farley said. ''This game will show us our strengths and weaknesses. I haven't seen Mount Dora play but I'm impressed that they beat Eustis, the other preseason favorite.''

Mount Dora, which won the Clermont Holiday Tournament by beating the Highlanders, 38-37, is back under the direction of Mike Trosper. Trosper, who like Farley took over a program this season, missed the final game of the tournament because of a previous commitment. But he's ready to take over the helm again.

''I don't know how the kids are thinking about this game but I'm looking at it as an important district game,'' Trosper said.

Farley also agreed the girls' meeting lacked the intensity of the boys' but not the importance.

''Our girls know for us to reach our goals we have to get through Mount Dora,'' Farley said.

Kathy Milsap and Jovenie McDuffie won't make that an easy task for Tavares. Milsap is averaging 21.4 ppg and McDuffie's contribution is 16.6. The Hurricanes are averaging 54 ppg and giving up 53.7.

IN OTHER ACTION . . .

High school basketball action gets back into full swing tonight with a number of Lake County teams attempting to shake off any dust they collected during the holiday hiatus.